London Banter - Oxford Street temporary pedestrianisation

In article , (Dave
Arquati) wrote:

Joyce Whitchurch wrote:
I'm told that Oxford Street is completely closed to traffic
today, between 1100 and 1600 at any rate. Where are the buses
diverting to?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/realtime/?...=all&incident=
38587_TfL

[A link that is no longer there.]

Generally either curtailed or diverted via Euston Road or
Piccadilly.

That was undoubtedly the problem with the temporary pedestrianisation
(which was in fact from 10:30 to 17:00 I think).

We arrived at King's Cross just after 12 for my wife and daughters to
see The Sound of Music and, because we had our granddaughter with us in
her buggy, tried to get a bus to Leicester Square in preference to the
tube.

There was nothing at King's Cross warning us that there was no bus
service to Oxford Street. We were turfed off a 10 at Euston Square
because they decided there and then to divert it via Euston Road. We
then got on a 73 (standing room only of course) which claimed to be
going to TCR but actually terminated in Gower Street. Luckily the
weather was good so walking wasn't too much of a problem.

Later I had to get with granddaughter from the Palladium to the office
(near Millbank) and found information very hard to come by, even from
TfL staff standing in Regent Street near Piccadilly Circus to provide
exactly such information. They agreed with me that my best plan was
probably to look for a bus in Haymarket. I went to the first stop there
for the buses which go along Whitehall but most of those arriving at the
stop initially were from other routes than those flagged with drivers
who seemed to have a limited idea of their routes from there. Eventually
I got on a 453 and walked to the office from Parliament Street. I never
did see a 3 (which would have been my best option) all day.

It seems to have been a completely unplanned shambles, or at least
little or none of the plan was communicated to the public anywhere
outside Oxford Street (where I did see a warning on a bus stop, far too
late).

--
Colin Rosenstiel